Independent New York Mayor Bloomberg Backs Scott Brown For Senate

NEW YORK (AP) — Republican Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Scott Brown has the backing of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his re-election bid.

Bloomberg, an independent, plans to host a fundraiser in New York for Brown next month.

Brown’s Democratic challenger, Harvard Law School professor and consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren, has been a sharp critic of Wall Street.

A spokesman for Bloomberg, Stu Loeser, says the mayor’s top reason for supporting Brown is the senator’s opposition to a proposal backed by the National Rifle Association that would allow gun owners to carry concealed weapons across state lines.

Loeser said Warren’s tough stance on Wall Street regulation was not the basis for the endorsement.

Bloomberg, a Massachusetts native, has made gun control a top priority.